WASHINGTON -- It started as an effort to eliminate a $5 billion tax break for exporters that irked the European Union. Since then, a tax bill has blossomed into a $170 billion cornucopia of special breaks for the cruise ship industry, former Oldsmobile dealers, NASCAR and makers of bows and arrows.

Typically, critics say, it is during the dark of night that lawmakers slip such benefits into bills like the one now before the Senate. This time, however, many of the tax breaks were added in full light of day.

The Senate Finance Committee chairman publicly disclosed most of them and folded them into the corporate tax bill, which Republicans are calling the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) bill. Then Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, asked colleagues to support it.

"Keep in mind," Grassley said, "that the JOBS bill could be the last train out of town this year."

Keith Ashdown, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said it was an "in-your-face, 'Here's your special parochial pork barrel tax provision, now I want your vote,' approach."

"It's brought down other bills, but in this case it's kind of working," he said.

Some of the additions have broad support. They include a new tax deduction for mortgage insurance and tax breaks for employers who keep paying employees called to duty in the National Guard and Reserves.

Watchdogs say lawmakers should reject most of the breaks.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has reserved 20 amendments that he said he will use to try to strip some of the "pork" out of the bill.